Category: Tolle Lege

Readability:  2

Length: 203 pgs

Author:  T4G

I have been blessed to attend several excellent conferences, but I think that the best one I ever attended was T4G ’08.  Part of it may have been where I was in life and how applicable those messages and panels seemed to be, but I really do think the Spirit was especially present there among all of us.  I am thankful to have the messages of that conference in printed format.  I highly recommend Proclaiming a Cross-centered Theology, if for nothing else that you read Thabiti Anyabwile’s chapter on race as an unhelpful and unbiblical category.

Bad theology kills.  So get rid of the adjective, not the noun.  Ditch the bad.  Keep the theology.  – Ligon Duncan

But believing in race is like believing in unicorns, because neither race nor unicorns exist in reality.  – Thabiti Anyabwile

“Race” is the theory, taking several forms, that there is an essential difference between people rooted in biological factors and manifested in things such as skin color, hair texture, eye shape, and color, and a few other obvious markers.  ‘Ethnicity,” on the other hand, is a fluid construct that includes language, nationality or citizenship, cultural patterns, and perhaps religion.  One way that race and ethnicity differ is that ethnicity is not rooted in biology as race theory historically has been.  –  Thabiti Anyabwile

The doctrine of human depravity therefore honors God completely like no other truth, because it leaves absolutely no honor for man in regard to salvation.  –  John MacArthur

Soft preaching makes hard people. You preach a soft message and you’ll have hard, selfish people. You preach the hard truth and it will break the hard hearts and you’ll have a soft people.  –  John MacArthur

Those of us who preach for a living are in the only profession where we can take no credit for what we do – except for what we mess up!  We’re the only ones in the world responsible for all the failures and none of the successes.  –  John MacArthur

It was as if there was a cry from heaven, as if Jesus heard the words “God damn you,” because that’s what it meant to be cursed and under the anathema of the Father. I don’t understand that, but I know that it’s true. I know that every person who has not been covered by the righteousness of Christ draws every breath under the curse of God. If you believe that, you will stop adding to the gospel and start preaching it with clarity and boldness, because, dear friends, it is the only hope we have, and it is hope enough.  – R.C. Sproul

Readability:  1

Length: 247 pgs

Author:  Keving DeYoung

I am thankful for what seems to be a catechism comeback in many Christian families.  I am also thankful for Kevin DeYoung’s great book on the Heidelberg Catechism, The Good News We Almost Forgot.  The Heidelberg Catechism was first published in 1563.  While I disagree with it in a few minor places overall it is a superb confession.

Don’t be put off thinking that DeYoung’s treatment of the catechism is scholarly or historic, the catechism was written originally for all Christians, even young ones, and Kevin captures that spirit.  The book is comprised of devotions to take you through the catechism in a year, devotions he originally wrote for his own church.  Here you will find both food for the mind and warmth for the heart.

The only thing more difficult that finding the truth is not losing it.

We live in a world where we expect to find comfort in possessions, pride, power, and position. But the Catechism teaches us that our only true comfort comes from the fact that we don’t even belong to ourselves. How countercultural and counterintuitive! We can endure suffering and disappointment in life and face death and the life to come without fear or judgment, not because of what we’ve done or what we own or who we are, but because of what we do not possess, namely, our own selves.

We have often heard that God is our Father, which is true, but we don’t always remember that the opposite is just as true: your Father is God.

If you want a more creative, more poetic, and better review of The Good News We Almost Forgot then listen to Curtis Allen’s (aka Voice) rap he wrote in response to C.J. Mahaney’s challenge.  You can view the lyrics at Between Two Worlds.  Also if you click the little down arrow on the player you can download the track for free.

http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F6376239&

Heidelberg Catechism by avoice

Readability:  1

Length: 187 pgs

Author:  Tedd Tripp

Instructing a Child’s Heart along with Shepherding a Child’s Heart are two of my go to books on raising children.  I am so thankful to God for Tedd Tripp’s relentless focus on the heart and the gospel.  In contrast to Shepherding a Child’s Heart this book deals with formative instruction, that is instruction that forms or shapes our children.  The section on communication alone is worth the price of the book.

Parents are to be the primary teachers of their children (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).  This task may not be delegated.    This book offers much Biblical wisdom in how to faithfully carry out those this weighty mandate.

This revelation isn’t just about distant physical and spiritual relatives – its about each of us by name.  Let that truth wash over you with all it’s implications and power.  Bath our children in that truth.  Otherwise, the Bible’s prophecies, provisions, promises, and pronouncements will not motivate our speech and behavior.  And our children will treat the Bible like a news story.

A primary goal in instruction must be to show your children who God is and what he has done- to show them their story in the pages of Scripture.  Make the Bible your family album, not someone else’s story.  The Bible is not about ‘them’ and ‘then,’ but ‘us’ and ‘now.

The power of the gospel is not just for our children; it is for us. The power of grace in the gospel will cleanse us, forgive us, change us internally and empower us to be all that we need to be to instruct the hearts of our children.  Don’t be put off by your needs and weaknesses.  Our weaknesses will never keep us from God as much as our strengths will.  Come to Christ each day knowing that you can do all things through him who gives you strength.

Readability:  1

Length: 242 pgs

Author:  Jerry Bridges

The Discipline of Grace?  Discipline and grace, do these two go together?   If you want to pursue holiness they must.  Too often we think of grace as the initiatory phase of the Christian life, and discipline as that which follows.  This is not only a false dichotomy, it is a deadly one.  If you have read The Holiness of God and want more help in pursuing holiness read this wonderful sequel. 

Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace.  And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.

God’s work does not make our effort unnecessary, but rather makes it effective.

Readability:  1

Length: 249 pgs

Author:  Donald Whitney

Since the late 70’s Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline has probably been the bestselling book on spiritual disciplines (bible reading, prayer, evangelism, serving, fasting, etc.).  I read it while I was still in seminary and benefited from it.  There is truth in it, but there is much that is unhelpful, and unbiblical.  I wish someone would have introduced me to Donald Whitney’s Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life instead.   It is the book I will recommend to who are new to the Christian faith and need instruction in such areas.  Biblically faithful, simple, and easily understood, it is far superior to Foster’s work.

Discipline without direction is drudgery.

Think of the Spiritual Disciplines as ways we can place ourselves in the path of God’s grace and seek Him as Bartimaeus and Zacchaeus placed themselves in Jesus’ path and sought Him.

The Spiritual Disciplines then are also like channels of God’s transforming grace.  As we place ourselves in them to seek communion with Christ, His grace flows to us and we are changed.

Bible intake is the most important Spiritual Discipline, it is also the most broad.  It actually consists of several subdisciplines.  It is much like a university comprised of many colleges, each specializing in a different discipline, yet all united under the general name of the university.

WTS Books: $12.22               Amazon: $10.61

Readability:  1

Length: 210 pgs

Author:  Tedd Tripp

Parents, what is your ultimate goal in parenting?  In Shepherding a Child’s Heart Tedd Tripp exposes some unbiblical goals such as developing special skills, psychological adjustment, saved children, family worship, well behaved children, education, control.  What is the ultimate goal?  Tripp answers with the first question / answer of the Shorter Catechism.

Q. What is the chief end of man?

A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever

Is there any other goal that is worthy? Are you willing to start here with our children? You must equip your children to function in a culture that has abandoned the knowledge of God. If you teach them to use their abilities, aptitudes, talents and intelligence to make their lives better, without reference to God, you turn them away from God. If your objectives are anything other than “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever,” you teach your children to function in the culture on its terms. 

How do we do this? We pander to their desires and wishes. We teach them to find their souls delight in going places and doing things. We attempt to satisfy their lust for excitement. We fill their young lives with distractions from God. We give them material things and take delight in possessions. Then we hope that somewhere down the line they will see that a life worth living is found only in knowing and serving God.

Oh for God-glorifying, gospel-saturated homes!  Praise God for Tedd Tripp and his service to us toward that goal.  Shepherding a Child’s Heart is a thoroughly Biblical approach to parenting.  This book is not full of practical ideas to help you get what you want out of your children, but what God wants.  This is not a book about behavior modification, but about the heart.  Parents I urge you, read this book.

When we miss the heart, we miss the gospel.  If the goal of parenting is only securing proper behavior we will never help our children understand the internal things – the heart issues – that push and pull behavior. Those internal issues: self-love, rebellion, anger, bitterness, envy and pride of the heart show our children how profoundly they need grace.  If the problem with children is deeper than inappropriate behavior, if the problem is the way the heart has enthroned something other than God, then the need for grace is established.  Jesus came to earth. Lived a perfect life and died as an infinite sacrifice so that children (and their parents) can be forgiven, transformed, liberated and empowered to love God and others.

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=8788549&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0

DugDownDeep_Carnahan.mov from Covenant Life Church on Vimeo.

Readability:  1

Length: 234 pgs

Author:  Joshua Harris

Are you looking for a book that would serve as an introduction to theological terms such as: theology, orthodoxy, doctrine, omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscient, inerrancy, clarity, sufficiency, the person of Christ, incarnation, atonement, penal substitution, propitiation, regeneration, justification, adoption, sanctification, indwelling sin, spiritual gifts, the church?  Do you also want the book to be practical, applying these doctrines and truths to everyday life?  Do you further desire that the book be deeply honest and personal coming from a humble author giving great illustrations from his own life?  Do you think your desires to be too big to ever be realized?  Read Joshua Harris’ Dug Down Deep.

Harris doesn’t wade in the deep end of the pool, but he helps you to get there and makes you want to dive… or dig.  Theology matters – Harris humbly seeks to convince you of this, and I think he does an excellent job.  If you are new to the Christian faith, or new to that faith being talked about in vibrant, robust theological terms this would be a great theological primer.

But the hardest work of all is putting truth into practice. … Church affiliation and a list of beliefs are never enough.  Doctrine and theology are always meant to be applied to our lives – to shape and reshape not only a statement of faith but also the practical decisions of how think and act.  Book knowledge about building on rock has no value if we’re still resting on shifting sand.

Once when my little brother Isaac was four years old, he grabbed a shovel and headed toward the woods.  My mom asked what he was doing.  He answered, “I’m going to dig for holes.”  The story has become family favorite, and Isaac is tired of having it repeated.  But it’s a good description of what we do when we study and argue over beliefs without putting them into practice.  We’re digging for holes.

We need to dig for rock.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_lUDZD0Wqc]

Readability:  1

Length: 234 pgs

Author:  Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck

I love Kevin DeYoung’s writing (Ted’s as well, he makes me laugh).  I love that he loves the church, so much so that he wrote a book about it.  This is my favorite DeYoung book alongside Just Do Something.  Why We Love the Church is an unfortunately an unusual book.  Go to your Christian bookstore and it will be easy to pile up a plethora of books criticizing the church.  Without covering any of her warts this pair of gifted writers wants to remind us of her beauty. 

Kevin spends his time responding to four categories of reasons why the church is not currently loved; the misssiological, personal, historical, and theological reasons.  Ted gives humorous and honest personal reflections in-between.

Kevin has a habit of writing books I recommend a lot, not only because they are so well written, but also because he has written on such pertinent issues.  At a time when so many loud voices are calling for an exodus from the church, DeYoung and Kluck are calling for a return.  May God bless this book toward that end for many.

If decapitation, form the Latin word caput, means to cut off the head, then it stands to reason that decorpulation, from the Latin word corpus, should refer to cutting off the body.  It’s the perfect word to describe the content of this book.  If our editors had been asleep at the wheel, we could have called it Recent Trends in Decorpulation.

Readability:  2

Length: 300 pgs

Author:  O. Palmer Robertson

Too many Christians fail at understanding the Scriptures because they don’t understand the Scriptures.  That is, they fail to understand a certain Biblical text, say Leviticus 4, because they don’t understand the larger context that Leviticus 4 finds itself in.  That is to say not simply that they haven’t thoroughly digested Leviticus, or even the Pentateuch, but the Bible as a whole.  Funny that we refer to the Bible as a book, fail to realize that it is composed of 66 books, and then further fail to recognize the great overarching, unifyingstoryline that binds it all together.  The fancy word for this big story is metanarrative.  We read all the mini-narratives forgetting to place them within the metanarrative.

To Johnny-pew-sitter I must say that preachers and teachers are primarily to blame for such ignorance.  People in the pew don’t get the metanarrative because the sermons are too small to contain it.

Towards understanding is understanding the concept of covenant.  Covenant frames all of Scripture.  It is the bones of Scripture.  Throughout Scripture God only relates to man within covenant, never outside of it.  Everyone stands in relation to God either as a covenant breaker, or covenant keeper.  You are either heir to the promises of the covenants, or under the curse for violating covenant.

In The Christ of the Covenants O. Palmer Robertson masterfully deals with the covenants of scripture.  In part one he deals with the nature, extent, unity, and diversity of the divine covenants.  In parts two and three he then goes on to treat each of the covenants we see in the Bible: the covenant of creation, the Adamic covenant, the Noahic covenant, the Abrahamic covenant, the Mosaic covenant, the Davidic covenant, and the New Covenant.

This book is not self-help, it is not immediately practical, it is not pragmatic, but it is epic.  You will be left stunned by the wonder of God’s one plan of redemption as it unfolds progressively through the covenants.  This ain’t no Little Golden Book, it is a book about the biggest story ever.

A covenant is a bond in blood sovereignly administered.  When God enters into a covenantal relationship with men, he sovereignly institutes a life-and-death bond.  A covenant is a bond in blood, or a bond of life and death sovereignly administered.